The South African-born New Zealand comedian reflects on how her traumatic childhood shaped her humour and refusing to roast her 13-year-old daughter’s friendsGet our weekend culture and lifestyle emailUrzila Carlson will always remember her first joke….
Continue ReadingAn interest in spiritualism drew the escapologist and the Sherlock Holmes author together but, as actor-playwright Haig’s drama Magic shows, also threw them into conflictIt’s the question most often posed to artists: where do you get your ideas from? D…
Continue ReadingDazzling performer, brilliant writer, maddening perfectionist, Easter Egg hunt maestro … on the 10th anniversary of Wood’s death, those who knew her best celebrate the shy introvert who redefined comedyDuncan Preston Continue reading…
Continue ReadingThe gently offbeat comedian is a beloved presence on Australian TV, but he’s now relocated to New York and made his first Hollywood film. He reflects on ‘a big time of growing up’Get our weekend culture and lifestyle emailNear the end of his Netflix sp…
Continue ReadingMelbourne international comedy festivalThis show is an extended metaphor about modern capitalism told through a young boy’s battle with a sentient shopping mall. If that sounds weird, that’s because it isGet our weekend culture and lifestyle emailCassi…
Continue ReadingDance House, CardiffTudur Owen’s Welsh-language play about a second world war veteran is unashamedly heartfelt and anchored by very fine performancesThis play by Tudur Owen tells the story of a curmudgeonly second world war veteran, an unexpected windf…
Continue ReadingShaftesbury theatre, LondonTwenty years since its West End debut, the sweetly subversive musical returns with a few tweaks and a lot of heartThe trigger warning “puppet nudity” does not begin to cover it. You will also see puppets having sex, singing a…
Continue ReadingThe Stand Comedy Club, GlasgowThe northerner finds the funny in banalities with this raucous compendium of all-in-it-together bantsPhil Ellis has been watching Netflix specials, and has noticed that all the alpha standups now have a hype-man to big the…
Continue ReadingFrom Stewart Lee in his wolf costume to Werner Herzog’s big steak sizzle-up, artists are now under huge duress to ‘chase the algorithm’ and reach audiences. Many of them are hitting burnout – and hitting backThere was a meme recently featuring Tony Sop…
Continue ReadingThe taboo-busting, Tony-award-winning show has returned. But how will its 00s attitudes land today? Will they still sing Everyone’s a Little Bit Racist and If You Were Gay?There are certain problems you might expect when rehearsing a West End musical. …
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